#The Invasion of Lionfish in Florida

[keystonediveproductsstuff]

The Invasion of Lionfish in Florida: A Growing Concern

The lionfish, with its striking beauty and dangerous spines, is causing big problems in the delicate balance of marine life in Florida and beyond. One cool way to fight back against these sneaky invaders is by adding lionfish to our meals. Absolutely! Lionfish are not only safe to eat but also incredibly tasty and packed with nutrients.

[soft-cheek]

I know we all want jurassic park or whatever the hell sure it's fun as a fictional thought piece but please consider what introducing one (1) foreign species into a new environment can do to said environment and what kind of impact it will also have on the animal itself

[isagrimorie]

I can’t stop watching people spearfishing lionfishes and now I want to try and eat them.

Apparently, because of the aquarium trade lionfishes that are native in the waters of Indo Pacific/South Pacific have become an invasive species in Florida and Caribbean. They’ve decimated the small fishes in those waters (and there are some reports they’ve reached Turkey and parts of Africa).

Since they’re not native to those waters they have no natural predators. In order to save the wildlife and reefs, people are encouraged to overfish the lionfish in the Americas.

And, apparently, they’re very delicious once people get rid of the venomous spines.

It’s flaky and tasty and really great when done as a ceviche.

Anyway, that’s what I’ve been watching on youtube today.

[kyrawaff]

I like underflow, I do, but I can't help but hate her.

Why? Lionfish.

I grew up around Florida, and these things are the fucking worst. They are such an insanely huge problem for the marine life because they are an invasive species and have been causing havoc on the reefs. I grew up having a lot of care for the ocean instilled in me, and these things have always had a tainted image in my eyes.

[brehaaorgana]

YouTube sometimes recommends me the wildest shit. Today it was a lionfish murder channel, since lionfish (predator) are invasive around Florida, there's a whole charity dedicated to ....killing lionfish lol. This dude just taking a little fishing spear and going "boom!" With every fish murder.

[hauntedpotat]

Fish time!! Thought it might be cool to do a reversal of my day 2 salmon, where I drew a background but only colored the fish. So have a reversed color tide pool sculpin :)

I also did a lionfish for invasive species, which are invasive in Florida.

For day 29 I used a fellow artist's painting as a reference! Idk if she's on here, but credit to Carina StMarten!

Feels weird to be done with Fishuary. I've been drawing fish for so long I think I'm going to go through withdrawals XD

@fish-daily

[rjzimmerman]

I went hunting for invasive iguanas in Florida. Not much went according to plan. (Washington Post)

There’s one up there,” yells my guide, Captain Bud, pointing to a green iguana in the boughs of a pine tree. Through the scope of my air rifle, I can see the distant silhouette of a reptile skittering between tree branches.

I soon lose track of it. Waves are rocking our small fishing boat on one of the drainage canals that helped makeSouth Florida’s suburbs possible, a patchwork of condominiums, backyard pools and strip malls.

It’s a surreal place to be hunting.

I’m here at the behest of the state of Florida, ostensibly to help solve one of its intractable invasive species problems. About 22 miles outside of Fort Lauderdale, among the golf courses and retirement communities, green iguanas are everywhere.

Since arriving in Florida from Central and South America in the 1960s, as part of the exotic pet trade, green iguanas have colonized suburbia. Residents and government officials accuse them of tearing up backyard gardens, collapsing canals and displacing native wildlife.

Florida’s response has been to declare open season on the species. “Every iguana removed is one less iguana causing negative impacts across Florida’s landscapes,” McKayla Spencer, who helps manage nonnative species for Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, said in an email. Since 2023, anyone can trap or hunt as many as they want on designated public lands, provided they don’t violate anti-cruelty laws.

With this in mind, I headed back to my home state to hunt iguanas — and it’s why I find myself raising my air rifle and slowly squeezing the trigger. An iguana high up in the trees scuttles off to the other, safer side of the trunk, untouched, my pellet having veered wildly off course.

I’m not a hunter. Growing up, my shooting was exclusively at targets. But I am among the ranks of people that Florida, and many other states, are hoping to enlist in managing species originating from beyond their borders. From wild hogs to lionfish, nonnative species now inhabit an area the size of California across the United States, costing an estimated $120 billion annually in damage — and hunters are being asked to curb their populations.

Florida is their wild west. “We have more nonnative reptiles and amphibians than any place in the entire world,” says Christopher Searcy, a biology professor at the University of Miami, who estimates 26 percent of all species in the state are nonnative. “If you value native diversity, I think it’s pretty bad.”

So my plan was simple: Go deep into Florida’s suburbs and see how hunting iguanas can help restore Florida’s ecosystems, easing the burden of invasive species.

Not much went according to plan.

[ethicalnattyparks]

The Virgin Islands

Picture by: Sean Pavone

Did you know that the U.S. Virgin Islands has a National Park that protects land and extends nine miles out into the Caribbean Sea? I personally did not, so the preliminary research on this park was especially fun to do. According to the NPS, the Virgin Islands National Park is made up of “7,529 acres of terrestrial habitat” and “5,650 acres of adjacent submerged lands.” It is also one of the least visited National Parks, according to this list by USA Today. Home to hundreds of species of birds, fish, amphibians, mammals, and plants, the Virgin Islands National Park seems to be a severely underrated wonder to behold. Interestingly, the NPS reports that the bat is the only species of mammal native to St. John, the island on which the Park resides as seen below in green. There are many other nonnative species that have been introduced to and function within the island ecosystem, which naturally occurs as humans bring them over and competition ensues. Marine life consists of beaches, mangroves, coral reefs, and various different ocean habitats composed of thousands of organisms. 

https://www.nps.gov/vicr/planyourvisit/maps.htm

The park website mentioned their ongoing fight against the invasive Indo-Pacific lionfish, and after one internet search, I fell down a bit of a rabbit hole on this one specific species of fish. The lionfish is native to the South Pacific and Indian Oceans and ranges from west Australia to the Pitcairn Islands, and from southern Japan to Australia and New Zealand. It covers a massive area of water! According to the NOAA, “four national marine sanctuaries have been invaded by lionfish–Gray’s Reef, Florida Keys, Flower Garden Banks, and Monitor.” They have been found in coastal waters from South Florida to Long Island, New York, and potentially, could have been intentionally released. They are top predators with venomous spines in their established ecosystems. Lionfish succeed by hunting fish and crustaceans, consuming algae, and threatening native species through increased competition and predation. They destroy coral reefs, reduce species diversity, and dominate habitats.

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/lionfish-facts.html

The image above is taken from a video filmed during a “Caribbean coral reef mapping expedition” near St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, in 2015. Here, from a completely different source, we see the presence of lionfish within the national park's protective boundaries. Due to the venom in their spine, there are little to no natural predators of lionfish aside from a few larger fish and sharks, allowing them to persist and reproduce. Not ideal! Thus, as of 2014, The CORE Foundation implemented a management plan composed of priorities and strategies for effectively reducing the lionfish population in the Virgin Islands waters. Keeping lionfish numbers low by spearing or otherwise trapping by fishermen proved effective in some areas, while numbers stayed high at other sites, which must be researched and improved. Along with that, education is essential in collectively combating lionfish destruction, and constant advancement in species’ knowledge will only allow for better methods to be implemented. This plan was set for five years, but there are no recent revision summaries available to update the methods being used by the park in 2024. 

I feel that we generally know the legendary Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia is in a rapid state of decline due to bleaching, natural events, and other predation. Learning of another marine region that is facing destruction due to similar factors but closer to home is a little humbling. It’s like that thought: “It’ll never happen to me,” but it happens. It’s humbling and eye-opening toward the issues that surround us on all sides of the environment. Each area of concern can be handled by similar methods, which must say something about our lack of implementation if we continue to see problems! 

wc: 615

[healthyfamz]

'I didn't even try,' says Florida diver who speared 915 lionfish, wins annual tournament The FWC Lionfish Challenge in Flori... https://healthyfamz.com/i-didnt-even-try-says-florida-diver-who-speared-915-lionfish-wins-annual-tournament/?feed_id=1971&_unique_id=66fc702f062d4 #Exercise #Family #Fitness #Indoor #News #Outdoor #Recreation #Workouts

[currents-of-change]

The Beautiful Invader Wreaking Havoc on Florida’s Reefs: The Lionfish Problem Invasive Species Series — Part 2

This is part of the Invasive Species Series, where we explore how certain non-native species disrupt marine ecosystems and the long-term impacts they have on our oceans.

When you think of an invasive species, a creature with vibrant colors and flowing fins may not immediately come to mind. But in the case of the lionfish (Pterois volitans), its striking appearance hides a destructive impact that has been quietly devastating Florida’s coral reefs.

Lionfish are native to the Indo-Pacific, but their introduction into the Atlantic has caused major problems for marine ecosystems. Accidentally released into the waters off the southeastern United States, likely from home aquariums, lionfish have spread rapidly and are now considered one of the most harmful invasive species in the region.

A Predator Without Limits

What makes the lionfish so dangerous is not just its beauty, but its appetite. Lionfish are voracious predators, feeding on a wide variety of reef fish, many of which are crucial for maintaining the balance of coral ecosystems. Juvenile fish, in particular, are easy targets, which is alarming because these young fish are needed to replenish populations and maintain healthy reefs.

Without natural predators in the Atlantic, lionfish populations have exploded. Unlike in their native Indo-Pacific waters, where they are kept in check by larger predators, the Atlantic has no species capable of controlling their numbers. As a result, lionfish are thriving, and their impact on coral reefs is immense.

Reefs Under Siege

Healthy coral reefs depend on a delicate balance of species — fish that graze on algae, corals that build reef structures, and a variety of creatures that create a thriving ecosystem. Lionfish disrupt this balance by consuming important reef species, particularly herbivorous fish that prevent algae from smothering corals. Without these grazers, algae can overgrow and suffocate coral reefs, leading to their decline.

The rapid spread of lionfish is not just an ecological problem — it has economic consequences too. Florida’s coral reefs contribute millions to the local economy through tourism and fishing. As lionfish reduce biodiversity and reef health, these industries face serious risks.

A Growing Threat

Efforts to control the lionfish population have included organized spearfishing events, commercial harvesting, and public awareness campaigns encouraging people to eat lionfish (which are surprisingly delicious). While these efforts have made a small dent in the population, they are far from solving the problem.

The lionfish invasion is a sobering reminder of the unintended consequences of human actions on delicate ecosystems. Just like the purple urchin, the lionfish has shown that even a single species can have a massive impact on marine environments when ecological balances are disturbed.

[solidwater05]

[ID: A Facebook post by The Blacksphere that says "The lionfish is destroying the Florida coast. Now they're learning to fear the Glock. Under is is a picture of an article titled "'Extreme outdoorsman' introduces invasive lionfish to a Glock 17" with a picture of a person pointing a gun at a lionfish. /End ID]

hold up im reading more about the lionfish thing and this one island in Honduras has had such a huge problem with lionfish that the measures they have taken include

• getting special exemption from the Honduran government to allow divers access to harpoons and spears which are otherwise illegal in fishing

• public campaign to teach people how to prepare and eat lionfish (apparently they are very tasty once the poisonous spines are removed) (but watch out)

• holding lionfish combination hunting competition and cookout (reportedly they killed and cooked 1,700 in a day) (someone killed 60 of them with a rubber band spear gun???)

• most recently and apparently out of desperation, the divers in charge of culling the lionfish in the Roatan Marine Park just started. feeding the lionfish they killed to sharks. bc what else are you gonna do with it

• the sharks don’t seem to notice or be affected by the poison and begin hanging out with the divers

• the sharks then were seen hunting and killing the lionfish on their own

like this is nuts to me sorry. the sharks just had to be shown “hey this is food, did you know?? you can eat these!! here try one!!” we are possibly altering an entire foodchain bc we like feeding the big ocean wolves

[keystonediveproductsstuff]

Keystone Dive Products: Lionfish hunting Florida

Keystone Dive Products specializes in Lionfish hunting gear tailored for Florida waters. Offering innovative tools and equipment designed for efficiency and safety, Keystone empowers divers to tackle the invasive Lionfish problem while preserving the marine ecosystem. Dive with confidence and contribute to conservation efforts with Keystone’s reliable, top-tier products.

[environmentalwatch]

Invasive Species on the Menu - And That's Good

Could sport fishing and hunting actually HELP wildlife? Maybe, depending on the wildlife being hunted or fished.

Invasive species in Florida are a problem, but potentially a delicious one. The Sunshine State isn’t unique in having difficulties with invasive species, but it does have quite a few. Hundreds of different invasives, from venomous lionfish to wild boar to pythons and parrots, all brought into the area by human activities, are wreaking havoc with the local biomes. Boar, or wild hogs, for instance,…

[panthalassaunited]

(I have nothing but praise for this show).

[noaasanctuaries]

Invasive Species Week is upon us, and what better way to kick off the week than with the infamous *drumroll please* lionfish! 🦁🐠

In recent years, Indo-Pacific lionfish have been found in coral reefs throughout the southeast Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean – including in sanctuaries like Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Because of their voracious appetites, rapid reproduction rate, and lack of natural predators, these invasive lionfish post a serious threat to coral reefs, with potential long-term consequences for native fish communities, habitats, and entire ecosystems. 

You can learn more about this invasive species at sanctuaries.noaa.gov/lionfish.

(Photo: Greg McFall/NOAA) 

[Image description: A lionfish swimming over a coral reef.]

[salmonidae]

lionfish (genus pterois): a danger to atlantic coral reefs

lionfish are very popular aquarium fish and are easily recognizable by their large, venomous spines, fan-like fins and distinct colouration. they are native to the southern pacific and indian oceans.

lionfish are invasive in southeastern US and caribbean coastal waters. sightings began in southern florida in 1985 and they were documented as established in the early 2000s. their diet consists of many ecologically important species of fish, such as algae-eating parrotfish that prevent seaweed from overtaking coral reefs. the lionfish population in the US continues to increase due to a lack of natural predators and the fact that they reproduce year-round, with females laying around 2 million eggs per year (or about 10,000-30,000 eggs every four days). they also compete for food against snappers and groupers, who are already struggling against overfishing.

one way to help control the invasive lionfish population is to eat them. lionfish are 100% safe for human consumption, as the only venomous part of the fish is the spines themselves. support markets that provide lionfish, or you could even go lionfish hunting yourself! lionfish is one of the best options for food in the US right now, since they're harming the ecosystem and there's an over abundance of them. this is a rare case where we want to overfish this species to extinction (at least in the US).

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